This recipe is from Old Farmhouse Recipes by Alison Uttley, known for her Little Grey Rabbit children's books. She gives no oven temp. or baking time, and not much direction for this recipe - I guess any good cook of the (late Victorian) era would know these things already. So I've done my best, and I think they turned out pretty well, if a bit flat. I'm not sure if they're meant to be this way, or if my bicarb soda was just too darn old?:=) And who would have thought to put marmalade and caraway seeds into scones?:=) Pretty tricky those Victorians.
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| slather on the butter and jam |
ingredients:
450g. of plain flour
1 tsp of baking powder
110g. of butter
170g. of sugar
2 tbs of caraway seeds - I used US tablespoons here
2 tbs marmalade
1 tsp bicarb-soda dissolved in a tsp of water
1 tbs of vinegar
about 180 mLs of buttermilk or plain Greek yoghurt thinned out with water
1-2 tbs of cream or milk for brushing the tops before baking
Method:
Sift the flour and baking powder into a large mixing bowl
Mix in chunks of the butter with a knife, then get your hands in and rub it together till it looks like breadcrumbs
Stir in the sugar and caraway seeds
Make a well in the middle of the flour and butter mixture
In goes the marmalade, bi-carb and vinegar - yes, it fizzes:)
Mix to a stiff dough with the buttermilk or yoghurt - start with 125 mLs (half a cup), then use more if needed
Tip out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat into a 2 cm. (about 1 inch) thick shape - round or rectangle
Cut out rounds with a scone cutter (or glass) - you will get about 12
Place on a lightly floured, or a lined baking tray
Brush the tops with the cream or milk
Bake at 200C for about 15-20 mins. till lightly golden brown on top
Cool on a wire rack or just eat warm with butter and jam:=)
Notes:
I didn't have buttermilk (Alison says to use 'sour milk'), so I made up some thick Greek yoghurt with water till I had about 180 mLs
I would probably use a bit less sugar next time, as the marmalade also makes them sweet
You may need more or less liquid, depending on your flour, etc
Leave the caraway seeds out if you're not a fan, or try another spice
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| ingredients (mostly) gathered |
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| rub between your fingers till it looks like breadcrumbs |
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| yep the bicarb and vinegar fizz together |
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| it should look like this when you squish it together |
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| bring it together gently to a ball |
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| pat out the dough with your hands till about 2cm. thick |
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| cut out the rounds with a scone cutter or glass |
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| golden brown and smelling great |
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| delicious with lots of butter and jam |
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| caraway seeds - artwork by sherry's pickings |
Here it is the last day of scone week, and I'm impressed by those of you who participated. I'll await some other challenge, though I may try a scone recipe some time, just to see if I really find them too dry (which is my reaction to the ones I've bought in bakeries).
ReplyDeleteYours look very nice -- I'm a big fan of caraway seeds though I think of them as savory not so much as sweet. I like them in rye bread and in cole slaw.
best... mae at maefood.blogspot.com
hi Mae
Deleteyes i too was surprised to see caraway seeds in a sweet scone. but it works! a good scone is a thing of beauty - moist and fluffy (a bit unlike my attempt here) :=) cheers S x
Hi Sherry, scones are one of those things I rarely make too, which seems sad considering I am Mum used to make them most weekends when I was growing up (or maybe thats why?). There are some interesting ingredients in these! Marmalade? Very interesting.
ReplyDeletexx
you're so right deb. marmalade in the dough? weird - but good. cheers S
DeleteThese sound so interesting. I suppose everyone in those days baked in an aga type oven and who knew what the temperature was?
ReplyDeletei guess the cook would be used to their own oven and know the hot and not so hot spots. thanks for hosting Cheers S x
Deletethey look delicious and sound quite old fashioned in their flavours - I think I would need to feel brave to try this flavour combination but am sure it would pay off!
ReplyDeleteThey were surprisingly tasty. I had been a bit dubious myself but they were nice. Not a flavour combo I would have come up with:).
DeleteI don't make scones that often and I know why-because I find it hard to stop at just one! ;)
ReplyDeleteyep they are tempting with their jam and cream deliciousness:)
DeleteI love caraway and lemon muffins but caraway and marmalade in the dough takes some imagination. They look scrumptious loaded with butter and jam!
ReplyDeletethanks Dee. they were good - a bit surprisingly:)
DeleteThese look great! Like the idea of the caraway -- unusual (at least I haven't seen it in a scone before; but then I don't get out much ;-) God recipe -- thanks.
ReplyDeletehi KR
DeleteI agree - i've never heard of caraway in a scone before either. like i said, tricky those Victorians. :) cheers S
I seriously almost picked up a cute scone pan yesterday. Now am kicking myself. Love the artwork!
ReplyDeletehi debra
Deletei wonder what a scone pan is?:) thanks re the artwork- very kind of you. cheers S
These sound delicious Sherry. I really enjoy the taste of caraway seeds so I'll be giving these a go for sure. Scones are so tasty and easy. Off to check out the other scone recipes - you can never have too many scones!!
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Laura
hi laura, yes it was a surprise to me too - to use marmalade and caraway in them but delicious! cheers S
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